McKinney, Texas – Although they are not in the classroom, summer is hardly a time of inactivity for today’s high school students—and learning doesn’t stop once they dash through the school’s front doors into the sunny freedom of summer vacation.

For five McKinney Boyd High School German language students, the approaching summer promises two outstanding opportunities to extend their classroom learning with scholarships for summer study programs—which include all travel, room and board and program fees—through the school’s PASCH connection via the Goethe Institute.

Five McKinney Boyd German students will extend their learning this summer in Portland and Germany thanks to scholarships offered through the school’s PASCH connection via the Goethe Institute: (l-r) Jackson Mullis, Josh Vansco, Bennett Burke, Kate Weidner and Hunter McLinn. (Photo courtesy of MBHS)

Bennett Burke and Hunter McLinn will take part in a three-week study program in Germany where they will attend German lessons and participate in creative, musical and cultural activities. The itinerary includes visits to a university, a German company and a research facility as well as excursions to learn more about Germany and its people.

Meanwhile, Jackson Mullis, Kate Weidner and Josh Vansco will attend a one-week immersion PASCH summer camp at Lewis & Clark University in Portland, Oregon called “You Can Make a Difference,” where participants will incorporate elements of theater, photography/film and music as they collaborate to complete special projects. Since 2018 is a soccer World Cup year, campers will also have the chance to participate in a soccer workshop led by a German soccer coach.

The camp sets the stage for these students to improve their German and form friendships with students from other PASCH schools in Canada, Mexico and other Central American countries as they create an international learning community.

“These students represent the best of the best in the German program at Boyd High School,” said Boyd German teacher Christopher Kohler. “To be a member of the PASCH network of schools and have these life-changing opportunities generously provided by PASCH is truly an honor.”

PASCH is a German acronym for “Schools: Partners for the Future.” It is a global network of some 1,800 schools that place a high value on German. The PASCH network affords German students and faculty life-changing opportunities at no cost, including all expense-paid student travel nationally and internationally, participation in special events, including projects, activities, and cultural events hosted or sponsored by the Goethe Institute, teacher trainings and workshops, materials and resources. The network also provides the opportunity to participate in the global learning exchange platform which connects PASCH German programs in over 100 different countries worldwide.

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